GENERAL ELECTION COVERAGE: THE PITFALLS AND POSSIBILITIES

• “So which parties do I need to put in my package?”• “UKIP are telling me it’s a breach of the guidelines if I don’t give them equal time …”• “How do you get balance on social media?”• “Can I empty-chair a candidate who won’t take part in a constituency debate?”

The most unpredictable election in living memory is coming soon. How do we cover it properly, and what’s the right answer to the angry politician on the telephone?

Using examples of real questions puzzling editors right now, this month’s Editorial Policy meeting will help programme teams tackle these issues.

We are now in the election period for another high profile by-election, with polling day on November 20th.

The significant overlap between the national political story and the issues of the constituency are likely to raise a number of issues regarding impartiality and fairness to candidates.

The BBC’s legal requirement with regard to the candidates is contained in the Code of Practice for Westminster constituency elections, Section 4 of the 2010 Election Guidelines; relevant extracts can be found here:

Poppies may be worn on screen, for those BBC presenters, reporters and pundits/summarisers etc. wishing to do so, from 06:00 Saturday 25 October to 23:59 Tuesday 11 November 2014. Programme guests make their own decisions about whether and when to wear a poppy.

Voters in Scotland go to the polls on Thursday - the Referendum Guidelines for polling day say:

There will be no coverage of any of the issues relating to the referendum on polling day, from 6am until polls close at 10pm on TV, radio or bbc.co.uk. However, online sites will not have to remove archive reports. Coverage will be restricted to factual accounts with nothing which could be construed as influencing the vote.

No opinion poll on any issue relating to the referendum may be published on polling day from 00.01 until after the polls closed.

Factual information relating to the vote itself is appropriate. The position is, therefore, similar to normal election polling days both for UK wide output and for BBC Scotland.

However, in the very particular circumstances of this referendum, there are wider issues and the same approach to polling day should also be taken by all BBC output, irrespective of whether it is directly intended for consumption in Scotland, such as local radio and World Service.

For further advice, please do not hesitate to call Ric Bailey. 07889 852195

We are now moving into a period of unprecedented political activity, running across most of the next EIGHT MONTHS…..In terms of impartiality, we will be under intense scrutiny, sometimes in quite new territory.

This advice note is intended to offer some broad guidance to the significant events of the next month or so, with an indication of timing on the approach to the general election in May 2015. However, please do not hesitate in encouraging teams to come forward to ask for specific advice.

Rochester and Strood By-election

We are now in the election period for what is likely to be the most high profile by-election of this Parliament, with polling day on November 20

th

. The significant overlap between the national political story and the issues of the constituency are likely to raise a number of issues regarding impartiality and fairness to candidates. The BBC’s legal requirement with regard to the candidates is contained in the Code of Practice for Westminster constituency elections, Section 4 of the 2010 Election Guidelines; relevant extracts can be found here.

The Guidelines state that:

“The intention of these guidelines is to encourage vigorous debate and to give a higher profile to candidates of all parties …. without giving unfair advantage to one candidate or party over another.”

The available evidence of electoral support in the constituency, together with other relevant factors outlined in the guidelines, indicates that: candidates representing the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and UKIP can expect to receive similar levels of coverage. Other parties who stood in Clacton in 2010, or who have received support in subsequent elections (and who announce candidates) should receive some proportionate coverage.

Any further relevant advice will be sent following the close of nominations next week.

In the meantime, all substantial coverage of the by-election should normally refer the audience to the online page listing candidates so far:

Specific advice should be sought from me, particularly for output with any plans to broadcast material with candidates varying from the above.

Party Conferences

The by-election period will coincide with the party conference season. Outlets can, of course, achieve due impartiality by taking account of the whole conference season, giving appropriate levels of coverage to the various political parties. This may include references to the by-election; however, particular care should be taken to ensure fairness for candidates: specific advice should be sought where appropriate.

Outlets planning to cover the conferences of the larger parties across the UK must also bear in mind that other parties will be holding party conferences (including the Green Party later this week) which should be given proportionate coverage. Again, specific advice should be sought about appropriate coverage for smaller parties as well as for parties in the nations, during the conference season. For instance, care should be taken over phrases such as “the start / end of the conference season” to ensure they take account of the full range of parties holding events.

General Election

The party conferences mark the beginning of the run-in to the general election next May. Although the formal election guidelines for the campaign will not take effect until the end of March 2015, output producers should be giving consideration – from now on - to the requirements of due impartiality with regard to the election. BBC Editorial Guidelines (4.4.24) say:

“Special considerations apply during the campaigns for elections and referendums and, in some cases, the period running up to campaigns will involve greater sensitivity with regard to due impartiality in all output genres.”

This guideline has particular relevance before a general election, as political focus, campaigning, the relative positions of government and opposition parties, the position of individual candidates, all begin to change the context of our political coverage.

Again, further advice should be sought, where appropriate, especially regarding programmes being commissioned for transmission in 2015 before the election.

Draft general election guidelines will be published by the BBC Trust at the end of October.

Scottish Referendum

As you will be aware, the last couple of weeks before polling day will involve intense scrutiny of the BBC’s impartiality, regarding not only coverage within Scotland and the UK-wide news output, but across the BBC as a whole. It becomes even more important that output producers throughout the UK, whose content is consumed in Scotland, fully understand the political context for voters. In particular, it’s likely there will be further focus on opinion polls, so output editors should ensure they are familiar with the relevant section of the guidelines on the reporting of polls.

Advice is available from the Chief Political Adviser and from BBC Scotland’s referendum unit – and the Referendum Guidelines may be found here:

Editorial Policy Guidance has been published about when we remove or amend BBC online content. Essentially, this says that material on the BBC website which is not available for a limited time period will become part of a permanently accessible archive that we are reluctant to remove or change and that we will only do so in exceptional circumstances. This also refers to programmes on BBC iPlayer during the catch-up period.

BBC links

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